37 Protein-Packed Recipes

Protein builds muscle, yes, but it also helps you burn fat. You burn more calories digesting protein than you do breaking down carbs, and protein triggers your natural hunger-taming hormones. In a recent study, subjects who overate by 1,000 calories gained more lean tissue if they stuck to a high-protein plan. Whip up these protein-packed recipes any day of the week to pack on muscle and say goodbye to flab.

How to use this guide: In recipes that don't specify amounts for meats, poultry, or fish, use a total of 12 to 16 ounces. Each recipe makes 4 belly-filling servings. (If you want to eat like our cavemen ancestors, who had great abs, then check out The Paleo Diet for Athletes.)

This story originally appeared in Women's Health magazine and has been edited for content

Lamb burger with smoked mozzarella

Cut 1/4 pound of smoked mozzarella into four pieces. Divide a pound of ground lamb into quarters and form into patties around each piece of cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste. Grill or broil until the outsides feel very firm, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Serve on toasted buns with your choice of fixings.

For citrus sauce: In a pan, warm the zest and juice of 1 lemon plus the sections of another lemon, an orange, and a grape­fruit. Add 1/4 cup olive oil, 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves, 1/2 tsp minced garlic, 1 small onion (minced), and salt and pepper. For chicken: Rub boneless chicken breast with a small amount of extra-virgin olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Broil or grill for 10 minutes, and serve with the citrus sauce.

Whisk together 4 eggs, 2 Tbsp milk or cream, and salt and pepper to taste. Heat 2 Tbsp butter until it gets foamy. Add eggs and reduce heat. Stir frequently but gently, pushing eggs from the pan edges into the center. Add 1/2 cup flaked smoked salmon. Remove eggs from the heat when just set. Garnish with sour cream.

For more great cooking tips and recipes from the world's top chefs, check out Guy Gourmet today!

Red snapper meuniere

Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a pan. Sprinkle fish fillets with salt and pepper; dredge in flour. Cook until brown on one side (about 3 minutes); turn. Cook second side until firm to the touch (2 to 4 minutes). Drizzle with lemon juice and olive oil; top with minced parsley.

In 2 Tbsp olive oil, cook 8 ounces of ground pork until brown and crisp. Remove pork from the pan and pour off all but 2 Tbsp fat. In same pan, cook a chopped onion and 1 Tbsp minced garlic until soft, about 3 minutes. Add 1 tsp ground cumin and 1 1/2 cups chopped tomatoes; cook for 10 minutes. Stir in 2 cups shelled edamame and cook until tender (about 8 minutes). Return pork to the pan, season with salt and pepper, and garnish with cilantro.

Sauteed pork medallions with lemon and parsley

Cut 1 pound of pork tenderloin into half-inch-thick slices and pound to quarter-inch thickness. Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a pan. Dredge pork medallions in flour seasoned with salt and pepper. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side, turning once. Remove. Pour off fat, add 1/2 cup dry white wine, and cook until wine is almost evaporated. Add lemon juice and a few capers. Spoon sauce over meat. Serve with parsley and lemon wedges.

Sprinkle 2 lamb chops with salt and pepper. Broil for about 5 minutes per side, turning once. Chop 1 pound of Swiss chard, separating stems from leaves. Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in a small pot, stir in stems, and cook until softened. Add leaves, cover, and steam for a few minutes. Add salt and pepper. Serve chops with a mound of greens and lemon wedges.

Lamb medallions with shallots, tarragon, and red wine

Cut 1 pound of lamb loin into 3/4-inch-thick rounds and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat 1 Tbsp butter in a pan and cook lamb until brown on both sides, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove lamb and set aside. For sauce: Add 1 Tbsp minced shallots to pan cook for 2 minutes. Add 1 tsp minced tarragon and 1/2 cup red wine; simmer until liquid is reduced by half. Stir in 1 Tbsp butter and juices from under the resting meat. Serve lamb with the sauce.

Rub a pork tenderloin with 1/4 cup white, yellow, or red miso paste. Grill, browning all sides, until almost cooked through but slightly pink in the center (10 to 15 minutes). Let sit for 10 minutes, then cut into half-inch-thick slices and serve.

Chorizo and beans

Cut about 1/2 pound of chorizo into chunks and bury in a pot filled with 4 cups canned cannellini beans and dried chili or red-pepper flakes to taste. Warm on a stove over medium heat (about 10 minutes), adjust seasoning, and serve.

In a food processor, combine 2 cups drained canned beans (white, black, red, or garbanzo), a quartered onion, 1/2 cup rolled oats, 1/2 cup grated mozzarella cheese, 1 Tbsp chili powder, 1 egg, and salt and pepper to taste. Pulse until chunky, adding liquid to hold the mix together. Shape into patties and cook in a pan coated with cooking spray until browned on one side, about 5 minutes; turn and cook on other side until firm and browned.

Baked eggs with spinach

Preheat oven to 350°F. In boiling salted water, cook 2 pounds of spinach for 1 minute. Drain, cool, squeeze out excess liquid, and chop. Heat 3 Tbsp butter in a baking dish, add spinach, and toss to coat. Spread out spinach, making 8 nests. Crack 1 egg into each and top with salt, pepper, Parmesan, and bread crumbs. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until yolks are just set and whites are solidified.

Preheat oven to 500°F. In an ovenproof skillet, heat 2 Tbsp olive oil; add swordfish steaks, salt, and pepper and cook until browned, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Cook in the oven for 5 to 10 minutes. Meanwhile, boil 2 cups of peas until tender, then purée with 1 Tbsp minced fresh ginger. Add water until the mixture is the consistency of yogurt. Serve fish on top of mixture.

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